Teenager who raised thousands for football attack victim wins award

Victoria West

A teenager who raised almost £40,000 for a dad left fighting for his life after he was viciously attacked has been named Young Person of the Year.

Berkhamsted schoolboy Oliver Floyd was presented the gong at Hertfordshire’s annual YOPEY awards - oscars for young people who give to others.

On the way to recovery: Nic Cruwys.

Milkman Nic Cruwys was left in intenstive care after being beaten up as he made his way home from a Wolverhampton Wanderers V Watford match in mMarch.

Disturbed by the violence Ollie, who like Nic lives in Hemel Hempstead, started a fundraising drive for the victim he had never met.

His appeal went viral and within weeks donations flooded in from across the world.

Ollie, 17, who has been a Wolves supporter since the age of five because of family connections, said: “I was quite ashamed to be a Wolverhampton supporter that day. I felt that the attack was putting the city and the club in a terrible light and I thought it would be a nice gesture to help Nic”.

He made a live public appeal on the pitch at Watford FC and his efforts were backed by Robbie Savage and Michael Owen through social media.

An anonymous donation of £1,000 is thought to have come from Sir Elton John, honourary life president at Watford.

The teenager has since met dad of two Nic, who is out of hospital but still recovering from his serious head injury, and he was among the audience at the YOPEY awards event.

Ollie is giving £200 of his £300 prizemoney to head injuries charity Headway and will spend the rest on a treat for himself and Nic.

To find out more about YOPEY and to nominate a young person visit yopey.org

>This year’s YOPEY was sponsored Mitsubishi Electric of Hatfield, Smith-Milne & Co accountants of Rickmansworth, Orange Amplification of Borehamwood, Johnson Matthey of Royston, and Runwood Homes with several care homes in Hertfordshire. This YOPEY is also sponsored by two housing associations, B3Living of Broxbourne and East Herts, and North Hertfordshire Homes.

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